The disclosure relates to computer network-based communications in general, and in particular to real-time collaboration systems.
Real-time collaboration systems, such as instant messaging systems, are increasingly used within and between businesses and other organizations to enhance communications and cooperation between parties. Typically, before two parties can communicate with each other, each party must provide his or her collaboration system with an identifier that the collaboration system uses to identify the other party. Common examples of such identifiers include email addresses and collaboration system-specific user IDs, which are typically maintained in contact lists. Collaboration systems typically provide their users with “presence” notifications regarding the current status of the contacts in their contact lists, such as whether or not a contact is currently logged-in to his/her collaboration system and available to receive communications. Some collaboration systems provide gateways to allow their users to communicate with, and receive presence notifications regarding, contacts belonging to other collaboration systems.